Ride Reversal
by CherryBomb21
Summary: Four years after Angel, and failing to save the world, Max is captured. Before, it was always her who saved the others, but now it may be the others who must save her. Rated M for language, violence, and sexual content.
1. Prologue

Prologue

I was thrown against the wall, wrists clapped into heavy manacles. The whitecoat grinned, an expression that could not mask his cruelty. I swallowed. For four years, I managed to disappear after my failed attempt at saving the world, a vague and futile mission. The world had fallen to war and destruction. I hid with my flock , thinking we could continue to fight to survive and we would be fine. Turns out I was wrong.

"Where's the other freaks?" the whitecoat spat, grabbing me by the collar and slamming my back against the wall. I blinked as fresh pain rippled through me, but said nothing. "Where are they? I know you know!"

I said nothing, just lifted my chin. The whitecoat, a fat little man despite the food shortages, began to turn red with annoyance. He was merely a pawn, not the head of Itex, those who made us and now wanted to destroy us.

"Tell me!"

Still, despite his fists that began to pummel me, despite his desperate shouts, and his threats and the physical pain, I said nothing. I've endured all of this, and more. I've had my heart ripped open and stomped on. I've had my mind utterly fucked with by people who I thought I could trust. Like my mom. And my dad. I've been beaten and bruised and bloodied. Fuck. I've had my DNA messed with so I wasn't even human. I was not about to open my mouth to make myself have an easier time. If I died, then so be it, as long as those I loved managed to live the rest of their lives without being hunted. As for everyone else, well, that was their problem.

It was harsh, but when you've lived the life I had, you became like that. You cared only about yourself and maybe your family. Who ends up like that, you may ask. Who could be so heartless, so emotionless? That would be me. And who am I? I am the one and only, the incomparable, indescribable Maximum Ride.

And I couldn't save the world. Hell. It looked like I couldn't even save myself.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Fang lifted the two thirty packs into the air and grinned. "Who's ready to celebrate? Here we are, living another week!"

Maya, Ratchet, Holden, Star and Kate let out whoops of excitement. It was their Sunday ritual; scrounge for food and avoid the Enforcers who plagued the streets of New York City, searching for mutants, and then celebrate another week of survival by guzzling back as many cans of bad beer that they could manage. Kate jumped up to make pizzas – popping five in the oven at once. It was amazing how much food they needed. Holden flipped the television on, and knocked back two cans in ten minutes.

"I love this movie!" squealed Star. Alcohol went straight to her head every time. Ratchet smiled and put an arm around her.

It was a life far different than the one that Fang had led with Max and their flock. He and his flock spent their days having fun and their nights partying and going to clubs. Saving the world was the last thing on Fang's mind; it was a lot of stress and lose ends that he did not want to figure out. That was Max's job, not his. After their failed attempts to "save the world" four years ago, Itex had taken over, destroyed the majority of the United States, and cracked down on the surviving people and killing mutants. Now, they were attempting to rebuild a world structured by Itex. If Max wanted Itex to fall, she would take care of it. Fang and his flock were free to have fun so long as they weren't targeted as mutants. YOLO and all that shit.

Maya lifted a can to his lips and he drank, finishing his fifth beer. Because of their animal DNA, it took little to make him wavy. His mind was pleasantly empty of all thoughts, he was free from his memories from the past. Maya was pressed against his side, rubbing her nose against his neck. He felt himself slowly harden; it would be a good time to fuck.

He stood up and took her hands, pulling her to his room. Frantically, they began to kiss, his hands sliding over Maya's body to the hem of her shirt. He lifted it up, jerked it over her head. Fang dropped his head to her breasts, kissing the tops as her mouth attacked his neck.

Fang was about to pull off her bra when Holden pounded on the door. "Fang! Stop messing around! Someone's calling for you!"

Ignoring Maya's protests to not worry about the call, he stumbled out the door. "'lo?"

"Nick! Nick? It's Ariel."

"Ariel? I don't know any Ariels."

"Yes, you know me. Ariel! I live with our siblings: Jeff and Tiffany – Crystal and … and…."

"Oh. But Ariel is a little girl. You don't sound like a little girl," he drunkenly. Fang's head whirled and couldn't think. Ariel was Angel, but it didn't sound like Angel. She was just a six or seven year old, a little kid.

"I'm not a little girl, Nick." She sounded worried and annoyed. "Are you okay? You sound weird."

"I'm not a little kid, Ariel. Why are you calling?"

"Because, we need to talk to you. Can we meet you somewhere?"

"Where?"

"At the canyon," Angel said. "As soon as possible. F – Nick, it's important."

"Okay. Yeah. We'll be there."

"Please hurry. Max's needs our help."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Fang rubbed his eyes, trying end the spinning in his head. What the fuck happened last night? He remembered, vaguely, being with Maya, but they hadn't fucked, not this time. Why was that? He was on her, ready and willing when… when what? They had been interrupted. By…by….by….by a phone call. A phone call from Ariel, Angel. She wanted something – a new teddy? Chocolate? Interview for his blog? Oh shit. She wanted to talk. About something important.

_ Please hurry. Max needs our help._

That was it. He didn't really understand it; Max never needed help. She could take care of herself. Fang pushed himself out of bed, wincing at the light that peeked into the room. "Star! Can you get me some water?"

The pretty blonde was in the kitchen, popping Advil and swallowing her own bucket. Star thrust the bottle of pills at Fang. "Here. We can patch ourselves up before we decide what the fuck we're doing today."

"I'm going for awhile."

Her face scrunched. "Where to?

"Canyon. Near Lake Mead." He drained a glass of water in one swallow.

"That's in Nevada," said Star incredulously. "Why are you flying there? Does this have to do with that call you got?"

He nodded, searching the cupboards for food. The Dictator, the ruler who was trying salvage what had been the United States, regulated the shops that sold food. My flock, though, were adept thieves. An armful of protein bars, a few water purifying tablets, and five pouches of dried fruit were poured into a backpack Fang dug from a closet.

"Where are you going?" asked Maya as he made to leave. Her makeup smudged her face, and she smelled of alcohol. She looked kinda shitty, actually. "You're not just going to leave us, are you?"

"No. I have to go talk to Angel." Fang hesitated before adding, "She thinks Max's in trouble."

"Max?" Maya suddenly became alert, running her hands through her short hair in an attempt to smooth it. "Why are you going to _Max_?"

He blinked. Why wouldn't he go? Max might hate him, so he knew it must be important for Angel to ask. Maya had no reason to question him; she wasn't his mother or his leader or his girlfriend. He was his own person and if the people he used to care about needed him, well, he was going.

It wasn't that he didn't care about them anymore. He just…he just couldn't be with them. All that danger and shit. But, it seemed that the danger had found them.

For everyone, I read Nevermore, and I was very happy with the ending. If you haven't read it yet, go do it. Now.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Three days later, Fang landed in the canyon, wondering where the flock was. "'lo?" he called, his voice echoing in the crevices. Maybe the flock was still flying; he didn't know where they were hiding. It could take them days, especially with Gazzy and Angel being so young.

He sat on the edge of the cliff, tossing pebbles to watch them fall a thousand feet down. Fang felt numb, wondering how the flock would react to his presence and what happened to Max. Nothing serious, he was sure. Fang would know if something happened to her; he would feel it. As it was, he felt the same so, he reasoned, she was alive.

"I think someone's there," he heard a small voice behind him.

"Go check. It could be – Fang!"

He was attacked from behind by someone small and feathery, knocking him from his seat on the cliff into the air. His wings snapped out, keeping him from falling. Two minutes later, the someone was still hugging him and squealing. Untangling himself, he saw it was a very attractive black girl, her long curls tossed by the wind. With a start, he realized it was Nudge. But – but – but it couldn't be. Nudge was a pre – teen, his little sister. This girl was a very mature sixteen.

"Oh, gosh! Fang! It's really you! Where have you been? We've missed you! How is your flock? We're all here. We got hear like, yesterday and we've been waiting for you. Iggy thought you weren't going to come. He's been a real downer lately. But, I kept telling him that you'd come 'specially 'cause it's about Max! Eeee! I'm so happy to see you!"

She punctuated this proclamation by leaping at him again. Yep. Definitely Nudge.

"Angel, Gaz, he's here."

Fang looked over Nudge's head to see Iggy walk from the cave. He pulled himself away from Nudge and flew to his friend. The two boys looked awkwardly at one another; Iggy's blind eyes narrowed. The blonde boy was taller, Fang noticed, nearly six four, which made him three inches taller than Fang. He was more muscled as well, his lanky body now lean and hard. His expression was an emotionless mask that rivaled Fang's.

From the cavern, Angel and Gazzy emerged and Fang nearly choked. Angel was now eleven, all thinly muscled arms and legs, her blond curls tucked into a tight ponytail. She was not the little girl that he had practically raised with Max. She was all grown up. Her brother was at her side, as if to be her protector. Gazzy was thirteen, and still smaller than the older boys, but it was plain to see that when he grew up, he would surpass them in size and strength.

Angel and Gazzy rushed to hug him. Fang normally became stiff and unyielding when touched, except with Max and maybe the girls in his flock when they were doing, umm, other things. With Angel there, he automatically began watching what he said and thought.

"Fang, we missed you!" cried Angel, burrowing her face into his chest. "We need you."

"Why? What happened to Max?"

He didn't miss the shadow that crossed Iggy's face. Gazzy backed away from Fang, coughing before crossing his arms over his chest. He was embarrassed by this display of affection. "She's gone."

"Who took her?" Fang addressed Iggy, but his friend refused to speak. Instead, it was Nudge who answered.

"The Dictator's Enforcers. She went out to get us food and they attacked her. I was with her and I saw it. I tried to get them, but they used tranquilizers on us and then took her. I don't know why they didn't take me, too."

The Enforcers were the Dictator's special police force, generally regulating the rebuilding of the major cities and tracking down mutants. Fang could only imagine what they were doing to her. But, she's alive, he told himself. She's alive. He knew she was.

"Where did they take her?"

Iggy once again said nothing.

"The School," said Nudge. "We're sure of it. The Dictator took over all of those facilities and made them into prisons and torture centers for the mutants. Kill 'em in the place that they were made."

Fang sighed. "Okay. Well, I guess we're going to have to go back there." After their last visit there all those years ago, he didn't ever want to set foot in it again, and yet there he was, about to do it all over. Those fuckers.

Angel looked at him. "I agree."

"All right. Let's rest up and then tomorrow morning we'll set off for California."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"I'll take first watch," Fang decided after several minutes. After leading his flock, it was natural to hand out orders. "Iggy can do second and Nudge can do third. Angel and Gazzy, you two can sleep. We've got a long flight in the morning."

The other four members looked at one another, their faces unreadable. Tentatively, Fang stuck his fist out. Nudge, seeing what he was doing, thrust her own brown hand to stack onto his. Gazzy and Angel seemed to be having some sort of mental argument before joining Fang and Nudge. Iggy fixed his sightless gaze on Fang before finishing the stack. They silently tapped the back of one another's hands before splitting.

"I'm so glad that you're back! We haven't done that in _forever_! " Nudge giggled and pulled a sweatshirt over her head. She curled up on her side, using her backpack as a pillow. Angel licked her dry lips, and then proceeded to do the same. When she retrieved her sweater from her bag, Fang noticed a furry arm sticking out. Celeste.

Gazzy clapped Fang's arm. "Good to have you back, man," he said, putting up his macho front. Damn. If Fang hadn't been so weirded out by Iggy's remoteness and so worried about Max, he would have laughed. The kid was trying be the fucking _man._

The flock had set up camp in the cave; Fang left to go sit back on the cliff's edge. Fuck. He had just sat on a sharp rock. Fang threw it, watching it spiral into the canyon below, wondering what was up with his own flock. Maya was probably in control, telling everyone what to do.

"Yo, man. What's with you?"

Fang twisted to see Iggy, standing behind him, hands balled onto his hips. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You. You fucking leave out of fucking nowhere and all of a sudden you're back?"

"You guys need me. Max needs me."

"Oh, so it's okay to leave and just fucking come back as if nothing happened? If you haven't realized, Fang, it's been four fucking years. We don't _need_ you." Iggy's voice was shaking, cloudy blue eyes narrowed as if it were possible to destroy Fang by glaring. "This is a serious situation. They have Max – they want her. They've always wanted her. Who the hell knows what they are going to do with her? You can't just waltz in, thinking it's time for you to come play Superman."

"Are you fucking serious?" Fang gaped at him. He hadn't flown all the way here to play hero. He traveled across the freaking country beaus, despite his actions, he cared about the flock.

"What? What other explanation could you possibly have? If you don't remember, the last time you tried to help out, you ran off with your new flock after Dylan the Douchebag Supreme betrayed us. We were all hurt and injured and you just left. I'm not having you join us again, and trusting you again, and having you just go and disappear like our lives mean nothing to you. I don't you to have anything to do with us. Ever again."

Fang pressed his lips together. "I'm sorry you feel that way. But I'm here for Max. She's the leader. Always has been, always will be. And when the leader's gone, we get her back. I'm staying."


End file.
